Fire-extinguishing apparatus.



PATENTED DEG. 18, 1906.

S. A. COLLINS.

FIRE BXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION TILED JAN- 8, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

YHE'NQRRIS FETIERS CO. WASHINGTON, D. 1:.

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[ W iW-M No. 838,688. PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906. s. A. COLLINS.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APILIOATI'ON FILED JAN. 6, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed January 6, 1906. Serial No. 294,839.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. COLLINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new method of and apparatus for applying 3 a fire-extinguishing agent, and comprises an apparatus for applying a fire-extinguishing compound in the nature of a powder in a continuous stream or flow to the fire or flames to be extinguished.

Preceding a detail description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. F ig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line as at of Fig. 2.

In a detail description of the invention similar reference characters indicate corresponding arts.

The cy indrical base portion 3" has in closed within it four or more fan-blades 10 which are supported on arms 9, that are attached to an upright shaft 10, said shaft having its lower end journaled in a bearing 17 on the interior bottom of the base 3. The upper end of said shaft is also j ournaled in a bearing 9 on the upper portion of the base. Mounted upon the extreme upper end of this shaft is a bevel-gear 11, which is engaged by a similar gear 12 on shaft 13, the latter shaft being supported at-both ends in a bearing 14. The outer end of the shaft 13 receives motion from a master-gear 16, which engages a pinion 15 on the shaft 13. The master-gear 16 is turned by hand through the medium of a grip 17 which is fastened to the master-gear. It will be seen from the comparative diameters of the gears 15 and 16 that a very high rate of speed is transmitted to the fan-blades 10 The base 3 is provided with a discharge nozzle or pipe 18, which is of a suitable funnel shape where it joins said base portion and extends in a tubular form to the proper length.

In the drawings the nozzle or spout 18 is broken away but it will be understood that it should be of suitable length to extend in suitable proximity to the flame or fire to be extinguished without the necessity of the operator approaching uncomfortably near the flame.

Surmounting the cylinder-base 3 is an initial receptacle 1, of cylindrical form, which is joined to the base by an intervening funnel-shape portion 2 with a central partition 2, that provides a chamber 2 into which the fire-extinguishing powder is fed. One side of the interior of the funnel-shape portion 2 is occupied by the fan-gearing and the other pcrtionto wit, that which receives the fire extinguishing powderis occupied by an agitator 19, which projects down into the chamber 2 and receives an oscillating movement during the operations of the machine or apparatus. This agitator 19 is supported upon a horizontal bar 20, one end of which is journaled in a bracket 20*, fixed to the interior side of the cylinder 1, and the other end of which is attached to a horizontal rod 21, which is supported in an offset 5 on the inner side of the incline wall 4 of said cylinder 1. This rod 21 extends on the exterior of the cylinder 1 and is connected to an arm 22, which terminates at its extreme outer end in an eccentric-strap 23, which surrounds an eccentric 23 on the shaft 24 of the master-gear 16, said shaft 24 being supported in bearings 2 1 on the upper side of the platform 25, which comprises an extension from the base 3. This extension 25, together with a lower extension 25*, provides means for connecting a grip-piece 25, by means of which the apparatus is conveniently carried in the hand and held firmly while being operated. On the opposite side of the base 3 there is attached a curved member 25", which fits the body of the person operating the apparatus. The position of the apparatus when being operated is that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The compound or powder is fed into the upper chamber or cylinderl through an opening which is normally closed by a cap 8. The powder thus admitted is directly discharged into the feed-chamber 2 and is agitated constantly by the agitator 19 while being operated. The bottom of the chamber 2 has a discharge-orifice 7, which lies above the fanblades 10 and in the paths thereof. This discharge-orifice is controlled by a sliding air-tight valve 6, which slides bet een guides 8 in opening and closing the orifice 7. The said sliding valve 6 provides an air-tight closure to the feed-chamber and is pivotally connected at its outer end to a bell-crank lever 8, which is pivoted at 8' to the upper side of the base 3. The free end of this lever 8 is provided with a finger-piece 8, by means of which the lever is operated at suitable times to discharge the powder in a continuous stream or flow to the revolving fan-blades.

In addition to the novel features embodied in the construction of the apparatus I also claim the method of distributing a fireextinguishing agent in the form of a powder in a continuous stream or flow, said method being the introduction of such fire-extinguishing powder into an auxiliary chamber where it is agitated and from which chamber it is discharged in the paths of a series of revolving fans located in the base of the apparatus and from whence such powder is forcibly ejected in a continuous stream or flow through a nozzle or tube which reaches in suitable proximity to the flame or fire to be extinguished.

Having described my invention, I claim In an apparatus of-the type specified, a cylindrical base portion, a series of revolving fans within said base portion, a pipe or noz zel connected with said base portion and forming the outlet therefrom, a superstructure supported upon said base portion and providing an initial entrance-chamber and an intervening feed-chamber communicating with said entrance-chamber, and with the base through an air-tight valve above the fans, a slide-valve controlling said passage to the base, a bell-crank lever pivoted on the base and having a connection with said slide-v alve, and a master-wheel, said master- Wheel being geared to the shaft of the fanblades, and the agitator being connected with the shaft of the master-wheel through an eccentric and strap, as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL A. COLLINS. \Vitnesses R. J. MOCARTY,

J. M. -THEOBALD. 

